Mitral Valve Prolapse Essay

The term mitral valve prolapse was coined by J. Michael Criley in 1966 and gained acceptance over the other descriptor of "billowing" of the mitral valve, as first described by John Brereton Barlow. This is why it is also referred to as Barlow’s Syndrome. Mitral valve prolapse, or MVP, is defined as a valvular heart disorder in which one or both mitral valve flaps close incompletely during systole usually producing either a click or murmur and sometimes produces minor mitral regurgitation.   Both the anterior and posterior leaflets are composed of three layers of tissue: the atrialis, fibrosa, and spongiosa. Patients with classic mitral valve prolapse have excess connective tissue that thickens the spongiosa and separates collagen bundles in the fibrosa. This weakens the leaflets and adjacent tissue, resulting in increased leaflet area and elongation of the chordae tendineae.  
Although mitral valve prolapse is a lifelong disorder, many people with this condition never have symptoms. When diagnosed, people may be surprised to learn that they have a heart condition. When signs and symptoms do occur, it's typically because of mitral regurgitation. Mitral valve prolapse symptoms can vary widely from one person to another. They tend to be mild, develop gradually and may include arrhythmia, dizziness or lightheadedness, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, often when lying flat or during physical activity, fatigue, coughing, and chest pain that’s not caused by a heart attack or coronary artery disease.   Mitral valve prolapse often runs in families and can be linked to other conditions such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, adult polycystic kidney disease, Ebstein’s anomaly, and scoliosis.
Although most people with mitral valve prolapse never have problems, complications can occur. Complications tend to occur in middle-aged or older adults. They may include mitral valve regurgitation, which may or may not be serious depending on the amount of fluid...